Rivalry

Delta Gamma

Rivalry

Chapter One: Delta Gamma

1

Rush Week

The first thing they taught Veronica Sawyer when she first joined Delta Gamma was to hate Kappa Kappa Gamma. Veronica didn't even want to join a stupid sorority but her mother, Alice Sawyer, was a legacy for the epsilon chapter at Ohio State University. One of the girls tracked Veronica down the moment welcome week arrived. Veronica fully intended to grab a quick bagel with cream cheese and one of those strawberry banana fruit smoothies from this Dunkin Donut knock off place on campus. She wanted to avoid the crowd of people who were literally leaking with enthusiasm to join a dumb club to enhance their college experience, when Heather McNamara cornered her. They call her Mac for short (a reason Veronica won't know for a good semester).

Veronica doesn't know how Mac hunted her down but she knows she felt way under dressed in her lazy Saturday sweatpants and oversized Ohio State hoodie while Mac wore a fitted long sleeve with a fluttering skirt.

"You should join Delta Gamma," Mac said with an alarming smile.

Veronica bristled, "how did you even—"

"You're Alice Sawyer's daughter. A legacy. It would be like, a crime, or something, if you didn't carry the torch."

And Veronica didn't have any better options so she begrudgingly agreed. "Fine, okay."

Mac then dragged her over to the Delta Gamma table to meet some of the other girls in the sorority to give her a feel of the atmosphere. Prissy wasn't the right word to describe most of the girls—privileged was a bit better (and a nicer). But Veronica supposed she fits into the category of privilege when she looks back on how it was her mother's connection that got her this position.

Veronica contemplated going to Cornell, somewhere far from her parents, but Ohio State was cheaper and easier to get in with her mother's help. But she promised herself she would break from her mother's shadow to blaze her own path. But, as she signed the papers that gave Delta Gamma control of her weekends and nights, Veronica felt herself conforming to the ideals of her mother.

"Don't look so sad," Mac brushed shoulders with her, grinning. "You're not signing your soul away."

Veronica smiled, "yeah I know. It's just—a lot of paper work."

"This stuff is just for clothing sizes so we can get a good head count on what to order. The important stuff is going to be emailed to you so you can do a quick signature electronically. It's way easier."

"Mac, can you help out with recruitment on the west side? Those damn Kappa's brought a speaker and shave ice." Regina George, their sorority president, said "they can't even recruit people without bribing them. It's sad really."

"Kappa's?" Veronica asked innocently.

"They are the scum of the earth and we hate them!" Regina shouted, red in the face.

Veronica blinked. "...uhm, okay? Why do we hate them?"

Regina's face looked pinched. "Mac," her voice was frighteningly low.

"Right," Mac jumped into action, latching on Veronica's shoulder "come on Veronica. You can help me recruit on the west side."

They didn't speak again until they were safely outside. "Did I say something...?"

"Oh, no, it wasn't you. Regina is just very passionate about her hate for the Kappa's."

"Is there a reason?"